WHEN SHOULD YOU TELL YOUR BOSS THAT YOU ARE PREGNANT???

Many women (myself included) wait until they are in their 3rd or 4th month before telling their boss that they are pregnant.  This gives you time to think about the situation and to start making some plans.  Whenever you are ready to make the announcement, be sure to speak with your supervisor first.  Gossip may reach the boss and undermine your working relationship.

Many co-workers, including your boss, will ask if you are planning on returning to work after the baby is born.  You may want to avoid discussing those long term plans until you have had time to make that decision.  And even if you have made the decision, a lot can change over time.  If you have the option of staying home with your baby after it is born, be noncommittal until you make up your mind.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU WORK DURING YOUR PREGNANCY???

Generally speaking, most women can work throughout their pregnancies.  According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a healthy woman with an uncomplicated pregnancy, and a job posing no more hazards than those you would have in your daily living,may continue to work until the onset of labor.  It is really your decision, along with your health care provider.

If your job involves exposure to certain chemical, long periods of time on your feet and/or stressful conditions, strenuous work or heavy lifting, you should request for a transfer to a less stressful and less hazardous work environment.  Be sure to speak with your health care provider and employer about this.

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires employers to offer the same disability leave and pay to pregnant employees as it does for other employees who miss work for other health related problems.  The Act makes it illegal to fire or refuse to promote a woman because she is pregnant.  If you feel as though you are being discriminated against, you should call 1-800-669-3362.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires employers to let their employees know any information regarding harmful agents in the work place.  The Act requires employers to provide a hazard-free work place.  If you feel you are being exposed to harmful agents/chemicals call 1-800-356-4674.

The Family and Medical Leave Act.  This Act requires employers with 50 or more employees to allow pregnant women up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12 month period of time for the following:

• The birth, adoption or foster care of a child.
• A serious health problem interfering with her ability to do her job due to pregnancy, or birth-related disability.
• When an employee need to take care of a spouse, a child, or a parent with a serious health problem.

For more information on the Family and Medical Leave Act, contact the Dept. of Labor at 1-800-959-3652.

PREGNANCY - WEEK BY WEEK, WEEK 5

If you don't know that you are pregnant yet, you are beginning to think that it just might be possible!!!  Your period is late, but you may feel like it is going to start at any time.  Your breasts are slightly enlarged and tender.  They may feel quite heavy.  You may notice that you need to urinate more frequently than usual.

The embryo is about 1/10 in (2mm) long and would be visible to the naked eye by now.  The spine is beginning to form and the brain has two lobes.

EXERCISING DURING PREGNANCY - WHAT IS SAFE??

A pregnant woman should exercise under normal circumstances.  By that I mean, if you are having a normal and healthy pregnancy.  You should use controlled exercises that will strengthen  the muscles used during childbirth.  But you should avoid exercises that could cause you to have an accidental fall.  Ask you health care provider about swimming, bowling, golf or other sports/exercises that you are used to doing regularly.  If you are used to the exercise, and if it doesn't bother you, you should be able to continue within certain guidelines.  The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend the following:

• Do not exercise in hot, humid weather, or if you are sick with a fever.
• Do not allow your heart rate to exceed 140 beats per minute.
• Discontinue strenuous exercise after 15 minutes.
• Avoid deep knee bends, sit-ups, raising both legs at once and straight toe touches.
• Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.  Hydration is VERY important during pregnancy in particular.
• Avoid exercises requiring you to be flat on your back for more than a few minutes after your first trimester.
• Do not stretch to the limit.  Changes in our hormones during pregnancy, increase the looseness of joints.  So stretching to the limit could lead to injury.
• Avoid bouncy, jerky, or jumping movements.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now encourage healthy pregnant women to engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily or almost daily.  Always stretch your muscles as you warm up or cool down to avoid injury and soreness or stiffness.

Discontinue exercise and call your health care provider if you feel pain, have vaginal bleeding, shortness of breath, an irregular or rapid heart rate, or are feeling dizzy or faint.

Just taking a walk is healthy for everyone including pregnant women.  Try to include this in your regular daily routine.

Before you begin any exercise routine (especially a new one), always speak with your health care provider first.  Women with heart disease or other chronic ailments may have to modify their activity.  Also women with a history of miscarriages, multiple births, bleeding, placenta previa, or an incompetent cervix or any other such condition will probably not be permitted to exercise.  If your health care provider does give you the green light for exercise, just remember to approach your exercising with common sense and to listen to your body.  Never push yourself to the point of exhaustion or continue to do any exercise that hurts.

**Always consult your health care provider before engaging in any type of abdominal exercises.

IS IT SAFE TO GO TO THE DENTIST WHILE PREGNANT???

The answer is YES, it is absolutely safe to go to the dentist when you are pregnant.  In fact, the American Dental Association issues special brochures pointing out the importance of dental care during pregnancy.  Scientific evidence suggests that being pregnant does affect the condition of your teeth and does make a woman more prone to gum infections while pregnant.    Any previous untreated tooth trouble is more likely to flare up when you are pregnant.

A visit to your dentist early in your pregnancy could save you a toothache for later, as long as your follow their recommendations.  Any necessary extractions can be accomplished under a local anesthetic.  Make sure to tell your dentist that you are pregnant so that he/she can take special precautions if your teeth need to be X-rayed.

Good eating habits along with your vitamins, calcium, and other supplements will also help your teeth and gums.

Be sure to brush your teeth 2 to 3 times a day.  Floss regularly and use mouth wash at least twice a day.  I recommend the green Listerine.  Start out with leaving it in your mouth for about 10 seconds and work up to 30 seconds.  This will make a world of difference in either helping your swollen and bleeding gums, or preventing your gums from getting to the point of bleeding and swelling.  My dental hygienist told me to do this during my 2nd pregnancy, and it made a world of difference.  I have followed that advice with every subsequent pregnancy.

WARNING SIGNS DURING PREGNANCY: WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK OUT FOR???

While it is true that the majority of pregnancies go smoothly and are uneventful, complications can arise.  It is important that you know the warning signs to look out for, and to report any of those symptoms to your health care provider.  Some important warning signs to look out for are:

• persistent or severe headaches
• blurred vision or spots before your eyes
• severe abdominal pain or cramps, possibly with nausea or diarrhea
• severe or persistent vomiting
• high fever (above 101 degrees F)
• marked swelling in your upper body (face and hands)
• vaginal spotting/bleeding
• marked decrease in out put of urine
• marked decrease or stopping of fetal movement you feel (from the 5th month on)
• sudden weight gain in just a few days
• gush or flow of watery fluid from your vagina
• regular contractions, getting stronger as time progesses
• constant or severe leg cramps or calf pain

It can be very difficult to know when to call your health care provider and when not to.  Often times, you may fear that you are overreacting to something that might turn out to be unimportant.  But it is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.  Please remember that just because a symptom or pain is not on this list, that does not mean that you shouldn't call your health care provider.

SAY "YES TO CARROTS"

I have primarily been posting about pregnancy and things surrounding that topic, but I feel like part of being a mother, or just being a woman, is taking care of ourselves and our skin.  So I wanted to talk a little bit about that.

I get super dry skin during the winter time.  My hands get really dry and cracked.  I get nicks and cuts all over the backs of my hands.  They got especially bad this winter with having a new baby and constantly washing my hands, and using sanitizing gel on them.  My legs and my arms would just itch when I would try to go to sleep at night.  I thought I had tried everything.  I was constantly trying everything and spending tons of money.  It recently dawned on me, like with many things in life, we don't get 2nd chances with our skin.  If we don't take care of it when we are young, we very well may be sorry later. 

About a month ago, I was casually talking to the cashier at Walgreens about this.  She told me about this product.  It is called the "Yes To" products.  They have 3 lines of products depending on your skin care needs.  The one for dry skin is "Yes To Carrots".  All of their products are anywhere from 94% to 100% natural.  They use organic fruits and vegetables to make their products.  They also have "Baby Carrot" products.  There is "Yes To Tomatoes".  The Tomatoes line is for oily skin.  And there is the "Yes To Cucumbers".  The Cucumbers line is for sensitive skin.  I have to say, I didn't have very high expectations.  I really thought I had tried it all and that this product wouldn't be any different.  I saw a difference after only one application.  I just put it on right before bed.  It is amazing what it did for my hands.  My 8 year old daughter's hands looked worse than mine.  Her knuckles looked horrible and after only 2 days, her hands were healed.  I actually have to remind her to put it on before she goes to bed now, whereas before using this product, she was applying lotion every night, without being told.  My husband also started using it.  He has very rough hands with the callouses from working outside.  It made his callouses almost go away completely and made his hands so much softer.

I could go on and on about this product.  I started out with the hand and elbow cream that you see here.  But I have now bought the body butter, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, eye and make up remover, body exfoliating wash, face exfoliating wash, and the lip butter.  I really love this stuff and believe in this product.  I have not tried the Tomato or Cucumber lines, but I am confident that they are just as good as the Carrots line.
There could be nothing better than natural products for your skin.

I have told my mom, my aunt, friends, my pediatrician about this product (just to name a few).  They have all bought it and all love it.